TexasCHLforum.com

C-dub wrote:

wgoforth wrote:I know of nothing in scripture that prohibits carrying anywhere for that matter, but we understand we cannot take them on an air flight for example. Do I like it? Nope. Is there a choice? Not that I can see for the present.

As far as flying goes, there are options, but they aren't cheap. Charter a flight from a private airline or get a pilots license and fly yourself. We are only restricted from carrying our guns on commercial flights.

Otherwise, drive everywhere like I have for the last couple of years and take it with you. I have not flown anywhere that I can remember in the last 20+ years that would have honored my Texas CHL if we'd had it that long. I have yet to take my gun with me on a flight.

Photoman wrote:

bat1 wrote:

Dragonfighter wrote: Or like I suggested in the other thread, ask them who the owner is and if they answer correctly (I.E. Jesus/God), show them Luke 22:35-36 (There are other passages but it requires more in depth study of words used, etc.). "

Ok I play devil advocate

Some would argue that Luke 22:35-36 is At the time the apostles understood Christ to mean real weapons, BUT some believe he spoke of Weapons of the Spiritual warfare. The Sword of the Spirit is the sword with which the disciples of Christ must furnish themselves

For me, I believe, it means what the apostles thought, only because of verse 38 He stated here are two swords, and Jesus stated "That is enough "

Is there any place in the Holy Bible that ~prohibits~ the carry of weapons?

C-dub wrote:I'm not sure what the current membership of my church is, but as of 2006 we had over 6,200 registered families. I seem to remember hearing about at least 6,500 a couple of years ago. I would consider our church to be medium sized. I am a regular member and we greet, speak with, and shake our priest's hand after every mass. I can also meet and speak with him almost anytime he's at the church.

Joel Osteen's Lakewood church has a membership over 45,000 locally and something well over 100,000 worldwide. They can seat over 16,000 at each service. Now, that's a MEGA-church!

SewTexas wrote:2,000? I would have gone higher than that! that counts 1st Baptist of Georgetown, I'm pretty sure, and I wouldn't have counted that as a mega church, (it's big, now....I remember when....). When I think mega- I think Warren, Osteen, and a couple others in H. oh, well, I'm sure you know what you're talking about.

SewTexas wrote:I'm not sure what the beef is with the 'mega-church' They are the ones who historically have to deal with security issues, well, all of the larger churches, up to and including 'mega-churches'. Over most of my adult life I've attended large churches, until the last two years. Even in the largest church I attended, the senior pastor was 'accessible' if the issue was important enough to the person.

The Annoyed Man wrote:

wgoforth wrote:Church minister here....yes, to be told verbally is permenent until told otherwise. BUT, I have never considered security anywhere to be anyone of official staff to be authorized to give such notice. For ME, I would play shut mouth, check my concealment, and carry until such time as board member, minister, etc tells you not to. IF you feel you could talk to them about it, well and good. Downside is you risk being given verbal notice.

That is the key.... Whether it is a church or a business, the question is, "Does the person who gave the notice have the authority to give such notice?" Let's take a shoe store as an example.... You sit down and bend over to try on a pair of shoes, and the sales clerk sees your gun printing and informs you that your concealed carry weapon is not permitted in that store. Is he/she giving you their personal opinion and preference; or is he/she informing you of a written store policy? The former means you can ignore him/her. The latter means you have to leave.

Churches are no different. So if the security officer in question (doesn't matter if they are off-duty LEO or not) informs you that you cannot carry your gun in church, are they informing you of their own opinion, or are they informing you of an established church policy of which the church leadership are aware? If the former, you can ignore that person. If the latter, then you have to leave. Church security people don't write the policy. Church leaders do. Security makes their recommendations, and then the leadership chooses to follow or ignore those recommendations based on their spiritual principles. So, you have to find out in advance of any such confrontation whether or not your church actually has such a rule. If they don't, you can tell the officer to place his concerns where the sun don't shine—diplomatically, of course, and feel free to "church it up" all you need to in order to not deliberately offend. If the church does have such a rule, then you have a decision of conscience to make as to whether or not you can continue to belong to a church that does not value your life enough to permit you the means of defending it. To each his/her own, and I wouldn't criticize you for choosing to stay; but I would personally start looking elsewhere unless the senior pastor could articulate an insurmountable spiritual reason in support of their policy.

Fortunately for me at my church, that is not likely to be a decision I'll ever have to face. I genuinely feel bad for people who do because, as any solid believer knows, the words "church home" carry a depth of meaning that may not be entirely understandable to non-believers.

fickman wrote:

wgoforth wrote:IF you feel you could talk to them about it, well and good. Downside is you risk being given verbal notice.

I might be treading a little off topic. . . but I wouldn't be a member anywhere I I couldn't have access to the pastor to have a personal chat. Apologies to those at the mega-churches, that's just my feeling.